Yes — in most cases, it's worth running pay-per-click (PPC) ads on both.
Google delivers the majority of search traffic, but Microsoft Advertising (Bing, Yahoo and AOL combined) still reaches millions of users across the UK alone. Those searches often come with lower competition and a lower cost-per-click (CPC).
Adding Bing doesn't replace Google; it supports it. And for many businesses, that combination leads to more efficient, more diverse and more profitable results.
Below, we explore when Bing makes sense, the audience differences, costs, performance expectations and how to decide if expanding beyond Google is right for your campaigns.
Why Bing is still relevant
Google holds the majority of UK search traffic — but Bing is far from empty.
Microsoft Advertising covers Bing, Yahoo and AOL, plus searches on Windows devices, Microsoft Edge, Xbox and some partner networks. That creates a meaningful pool of users, particularly in demographics that Google doesn't always capture as strongly.
If your competitors ignore Bing, that's a strategic advantage for you.
Audience differences
Bing's audience often skews slightly older, more established and more likely to use desktop devices. Many users access Bing through default settings (Windows, Edge, Outlook), which means they're not necessarily 'Bing loyalists', just people searching without switching to Google.
That creates interesting opportunities.
Some businesses see higher engagement on Bing for high-value searches — think finance, B2B, legal, home services or anything with research-driven customers. While this varies, Bing's demographic profile can sometimes result in stronger conversion rates for certain sectors.
However, individual industry performance varies widely, and testing is therefore essential.
Costs and competition
One of the most practical advantages of Bing advertising is cost.
With fewer advertisers bidding on the same keywords, CPCs are often lower than Google's. That means your budget can stretch further. It also reduces the pressure of highly competitive auctions.
That doesn't automatically mean Bing is 'better'. Google still brings scale and volume. But Bing can deliver excellent cost-per-lead and cost-per-sale results when integrated into a broader paid media strategy.
How easy is it to add Bing Ads?
Very. Microsoft Advertising allows you to import campaigns directly from Google Ads, meaning your structure, settings, ads and extensions can carry across with minimal setup.
Some tweaks are still needed — match types, bid modifiers, device behaviour and keyword volumes don't always map perfectly — but you avoid creating everything from scratch.
It's one of the lowest-effort ways to expand your reach without rebuilding your entire account.
When Bings Ads are worth it
Bing advertising is particularly effective when:
- You already perform strongly on Google and want extra volume.
- Your industry has an older or more desktop-heavy audience.
- Your Google CPCs are rising and you want a more cost-effective second channel.
- You need to diversify beyond a single platform.
- Your competitors aren't active on Bing (or are barely visible).
Even for businesses with limited budgets, running a small, tightly controlled Bing campaign can validate whether the audience converts well before committing more spend.
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When Bing Ads might not be necessary
There are situations where Bing isn't essential.
If you're working with a very limited budget, Google is still the priority because of its scale. If you're in a niche where Bing search volumes are extremely low, results may be too thin to justify the effort. And if your campaigns require fast testing cycles with large amounts of data, Bing's smaller volumes may slow things down.
The decision comes down to your goals, your market and your available resources.
Expected (realistic) performance
Performance varies, but businesses often see:
- Lower CPCs
- Lower competition
- Smaller search volumes
- Similar or sometimes higher conversion rates
It's not uncommon for Bing to deliver more efficient conversions, but fewer of them. That makes it a valuable supplement, not a replacement.
The most important point: Bing adds incremental value. It captures extra demand you'd otherwise miss.
How to decide if you should use both
Ask yourself:
- Are your Google campaigns stable and profitable?
- Are you getting diminishing returns on Google alone?
- Does your audience overlap with typical Bing demographics?
- Do you need more leads or more diversified traffic?
- Do your competitors advertise there?
If the answer to most of these is yes, Bing is almost certainly worthwhile.
A short test campaign — even £300–£500 over a month — can give you clear performance signals.
Should you run identical campaigns on Google and Bing?
Not exactly.
Importing from Google is fine as a starting point, but Bing behaves differently.
We routinely adjust keyword targeting, bids, device prioritisation, negative lists and ad messaging once data starts flowing. Treating Bing as a cloned version of Google limits its potential.
A tailored approach almost always performs better.
Next steps
If you're already running Google Ads, start by reviewing what's working: your best-performing campaigns, keywords and audiences. These are usually the strongest candidates to test on Bing.
Next, import a small, focused set of campaigns into Microsoft Advertising. Keep budgets modest at first, then monitor impressions, CPCs, conversion rates and cost per lead or sale.
Use that data to decide whether to scale. If Bing delivers cost-effective conversions and useful additional volume, gradually increase budgets and refine targeting.
If you'd like expert support, this is also a good point to request a review of your overall paid media mix — not just whether you can use Bing, but how it fits into your wider strategy.
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